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Chapter 4. Ideal Two-winding Power Transformer

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DOI: 10.13140/RG.2.2.30555.72487

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 Chapter

4
Ideal Two-winding Power Transformer
F. Gonzalez-Longatt

4.1 Objective
This chapter presents a general summary about the fundamentals of ideal two winding transformers working in AC
steady-state.
4.2 Transformers
Transformers make it possible for electrical power to be delivered from power stations to our homes with very low
losses in the transmission lines. They do this by stepping-up and stepping-down AC voltages, for example from the
hundreds of kV used in high voltage overhead power lines to the 230 volts found in homes; they convert electrical
power at one voltage to a different voltage. Transformers can also be used for matching impedances and for DC
isolating one circuit from another.
In very basic terms, a transformer is nothing more than two inductors placed side by side close together. A changing
current in one inductor (called the primary coil) causes a magnetic flux that cuts through the other inductor (called
the secondary coil). This, in turn, induces a varying voltage across the terminals of the secondary inductor. The
primary and secondary voltages have the same phase and frequency. In practice, the construction of a transformer is
more complex, but the same principles of operation always apply.
4.3 Transformer in un-loaded conditions
Each of the two coils making up a simple transformer has a self-inductance (L). The coupling between the two coils
is called the mutual inductance (M). Both are measured in henrys (H).
i1 t  M

 
v1 t  L1 L2 v2 t 
 
Fig. 4.1. Circuit diagram of an unloaded transformer.

A changing current flowing into the transformer on the primary side (i1(t)) induces a voltage on the secondary side
(v2(t)). The two voltages v1(t) and v2(t) are in phase.
di1 t 
v1 t   L1
dt
(4.1)
di1 t 
v2 t   M
dt
Note: In Fig. 4.1, the secondary side of the transformer is not connected to a load, and so there is no
current flowing in the secondary circuit; there is only a secondary voltage v2(t). v2(t) is proportional
to the rate of change of i1(t); if i1(t) does not change, there is no secondary voltage
4.4 Dot convention
The polarity of the secondary voltage depends on the terminal through which the primary current enters the
transformer and the direction of the windings of the coils. Once packaged, it is not always possible to know how the
coils are wound, so we make use of the dot convention to identify voltage polarities. During production, the
manufacturer draws a dot next to one of the terminals on the primary and secondary sides ensuring the dot convention
is followed. The dot convention states:
If the current flows into the dot on the primary side, the induced secondary voltage will
have its positive voltage reference at the dot terminal on the secondary side. Similarly, if
the current flows into the not-dot on the primary side, the induced secondary voltage will
have its positive voltage reference at the not-dot terminal on the secondary side. The same
principle also applies if the current flows in the secondary circuit and induces a voltage in
the primary side.
Note: “Not dot” refers to the terminal that is not labelled with a dot.
4.5 Transformer under load
When a load is connected to the secondary circuit, the voltage induced in the secondary will drive a current i2(t) around
the secondary circuit. This current flowing through the secondary coil will induce a new voltage in the primary circuit
because the mutual coupling (M) applies both ways. To solve such circuits excited with sinusoidal signals, it is easiest
to work in the frequency domain and apply Kirchhoff’s Voltage Law. In Fig. 4.2, the transformer circuit is given
Chapter 4

earlier has a resistor connected as a load. All the voltages have been labelled with their polarities indicated. Follow
the steps from 1 to 6 to calculate 𝑉 . Recall the impedance of an inductor is given as 𝑍̅ 𝑗𝜔𝐿 and the voltage across
an impedance (by Ohm’s Law) 𝑉 𝑍̅𝐼 ̅
Note: We always use the “passive sign convention (PSC)” when labelling the reference directions of the
currents and the reference polarities (i.e., which end is + and which end is -) of the voltages. Following
the passive sign convention, we label the reference current as entering the positive voltage terminal of
a load. In an AC circuit, the actual current and voltage directions are by definition constantly
changing but the directions of the variables 𝐼 ̅ and 𝑉 are fixed by the passive sign convention.

M I2
I1 3

     
Vs t  j M I2 j M
L1 I12 L1 L2 j M I21 j L
M2 I22 R Vj MI
load 2 R I2
 6  1  2  5  4 

Fig. 4.2. Transformer under load with a resistor.

1 As a result of the source voltage Vs current I1 flows into the dot on the primary side. The voltage drop across
the primary inductor is simply given by Ohm’s Law. Following the PSC, the current always flows into the +
terminal, so the dot-end must be labelled with the +.
Current in the primary induces a voltage across the secondary coil due to the mutual coupling M. Because I1
2
is flowing into to the dot on the primary side, the dot convention states the mutually induced voltage on the
secondary side must have the + voltage reference at its dot terminal. This voltage across the secondary coil is
calculated in the same way as before, but M is used instead of L1.
The mutually induced voltage in the secondary circuit acts as a source to drive the current Ī2 around the circuit.
3
As with any circuit with a single voltage source, the current flows out of the + terminal.
By the PSC, the current into the resistor must flow into the positive terminal. This identifies the polarity of
4 the load voltage and is calculated from Ohm’s Law.
The current Ī2 flowing clockwise also flows through the secondary inductor L2. Again, following the PSC, the
5 terminal at which the current enters the inductor is labelled with the positive voltage reference. The
magnitude of this voltage is determined by the inductance of the coil (L2) and the current passing through it (
I2 ). Notice that in this case, it has the opposite polarity to the mutually induced voltage caused by I1 .
Since mutual inductance applies both ways, from primary to secondary and from secondary to primary, the
6
current through the secondary coil will induce a voltage across the primary coil. The dot convention
determines the polarity of this mutually induced voltage: Current flowing into the not-dot in the secondary
induces a voltage in the primary with the not-dot as the + voltage reference.
The circuit can be solved using Kirchhoff’s Voltage law. There are two unknowns and two equations. Use
simultaneous equations to solve for I2 to then find Vload .
Vs  j L1 I1  j M I2  0 (4.2)
and
j M I1  R I2  j L2 I2  0 (4.3)
4.6 Ideal transformer
In order to ensure all the magnetic flux created by one coil cuts through the other, the cables are wound around an
iron core loop. A typical example is shown in Fig. 4.3. In reality, the coupling is never 100% efficient, but modern
techniques and materials can get it very close! The circuit symbol for an ideal transformer is given in Fig. 4.4.
Magnetic core

I1 I2
 
V1 N1 N2 V2
i1 M
 


Primary Secundary
winding winding
Fig. 4.3. Illustrative example of the structure of a typical two winding power transformer.

Dr. F. Gonzalez-Longatt Chapter_4_Ideal_Transformer_v1.docx Page 2 of 3

 Ideal Two-winding Power Transformer

I1 N1 : N 2 I2

 
V1 V2
 

Fig. 4.4. Circuit symbol for an ideal transformer.

Circuit calculations with ideal transformers are much simpler because separate voltages due to the self-inductance
and mutual inductance terms do not need to be calculated. By knowing the number of turns on the primary coil (N1)
and the number of turns on the secondary coil (N2), voltages and currents on both sides can be easily determined. The
ratio of N1 to N2 is called the turns ratio (a):
N V I
a 1  1  2 (4.4)
N 2 V2 I1
a>1, Step-down transformer
a<1, Step-up transformer
Note: Some books quote the turns ratio as a=N2/N1
If there are more turns on the secondary side compared to the primary side, the voltage at the secondary circuit will
be higher than the primary. This is called a step-up transformer. Since the current in the secondary will be smaller
than the primary by the same factor, the total power will be conserved, i.e. P=I1V1 = I2V2
4.7 Transformer for impedance matching
When the internal resistance of the source and the load resistance are dictated by the application and cannot be
controlled, a transformer can be used to impedance match the source to the load to maximise power transfer. Recall,
maximum power is transferred to the load when:
Rsource = Rload
Note: Although we refer to it as an ‘impedance match’, this technique will only match the load resistance to
the source resistance; the reactive parts of the load and source must be very small to start with.
In Fig. 4.5, the source looking into the transformer and load combined sees just an equivalent resistance Rin, i.e. the
transformer and load resistor RL can be simplified down to just one resistor. The value for Rin is given by:
2
N 
Rin  RL  1  (4.5)
 N2 
Looking at the equivalent circuit in Fig. 4.5, maximum power is transferred from the source to the load when:
Rs  Rin (4.6)
Therefore, for maximum power transfer:
2
N 
RS   1  RL (4.7)
 N2 
Although the source and load resistances are fixed, for example, an amplifier connected to a speaker, a transformer
with the correct turn’s ratio (N1/N2) will match one circuit to the other.
I1 I2
Rs
N1 : N 2

Vs RL


Source Trasformer and load combined

(a) Full representation
I1
Rs

Vs Rin


Source Equivalent load

(b) Equivalent circuit
Fig. 4.5. Equivalent impedance of a transformer and load

Page 3 of 3 Chapter_4_Ideal_Transformer_v1.docx Dr. F. Gonzalez-Longatt

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